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by CelticKnot



Series: Mass Effect Fictober 2019 [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Fictober 2019, Fluff, Gen, MEFFfictober2019, Post-Destroy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 00:56:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20844908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticKnot/pseuds/CelticKnot
Summary: After the Reaper War, Kolyat and Shepard find a home together. For the MEFF Fictober prompt "Autumn Leaves."





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in the timeline of _The Paths We Are Given,_ Part 4: "All I Ever Wanted."

Koyat wasn’t sure what he’d expected Mindoir to look like, but the showers of brilliant colors certainly weren’t it.

Shepard had purchased a home on the outskirts of a little town called Annwn’s Hollow. Far enough removed from the nearest neighbors to give the feeling of seclusion, but near enough to civilization to get her timely medical or psychiatric help if she needed it, the house stood surrounded by trees that dropped red, gold, orange, and purple leaves in a thick blanket on the grounds. As he stepped out of the taxi with his bags slung over his shoulder, Kolyat had to admit it was gorgeous.

It was only when Shepard slipped her arm through his that he realized he’d stopped to stare. She sighed happily and rested her head on his shoulder. “I always did love the autumns here.”

“It’s… beautiful,” he breathed. He looked down at her, but she was drinking in the sights, too. She seemed more relaxed than he’d seen her at any point so far in the long months of her recovery. Every line of her body spoke of relief. Even her hand had loosened its grip on her cane, and no longer trembled quite so much.

Privately, Kolyat had worried about the wisdom of letting Shepard move away from Earth. Ruined though the human homeworld was, all the finest medical minds of the allied militaries were there. She still had a lot of healing to do, both physically and mentally, and removing herself from that expertise had seemed to Kolyat a poor idea.

But seeing her now, breathing the air of the world on which she’d been born, surveying a landscape she’d not seen in over a decade, put most of his fears to rest. This was exactly what she’d needed: a peaceful retirement in a quiet place. Solid ground beneath her feet. Stability. A home.

All of a sudden, Kolyat felt very out of place.

“Shepard…” He hesitated, and now she did look up at him, eyes shining, a dreamy smile on her face that tightened his throat. “Are you sure… do you really want me to…”

She chuckled. “For the thousandth time, Kolyat, yes. I really want you to stay with me.”

“I just… this is your home, and…”

“And now it’s your home, too.”

Kolyat swallowed hard, some of his apprehension draining away as he gazed up at the trees again. A breeze whispered through them, and leaves rained down in showers of brilliant colors.


End file.
